Family of missing pregnant woman in Beaumont desperate for answers as search intensifies

BEAUMONT, Calif. (KABC) -- What happened to Cajairah Fraise? That's a mystery the Beaumont Police Department and her family would like to solve.

The pregnant 22-year-old was last seen on Feb. 23 after her parents say she stepped out of their car at a Jack in the Box to get some air.

"I pulled up, I looked at her, she was looking at us, she looked back at us, everything was fine," said her father, Jamel Fraise, during an interview with Eyewitness News. "So, finished paying for our food ... less than a minute later, our daughter is vanished."

A surveillance video taken from a nearby charter school shows Fraise walking in the area. It was the last time she was seen.

At the time, Fraise was 9 months pregnant and due to deliver her baby boy on March 29.

Her parents said they searched for her and asked others in the parking lot if they had seen her, but after an hour, they called police.

However, due to Cajairah age, she was considered a voluntary missing person.

"They didn't share any information for almost two weeks, and we are going out there, looking for her trying to find her, asking and sending emails, and by the time we get a response, it's almost two weeks later," said Jamel.

Beaumont police conducted a search of the area, including a field, but didn't find anything.

The family also blames a statement made by police that said they weren't cooperating with the investigation, which they said led to a social media campaign of harassment.

"Our focus is to find Cajairah, and so if someone is trying to accuse the family of harming her, our daughter, or doing something to keep her from being found ... unbelieve things that have been said, that is what hinders us helping Cajairah be found," said her father.

The family has decided to go public with the help of the Dock Ellis Foundation, which helps minority families of missing people.

"In order to make sure that we are able to bring her home, we want to be able to facilitate a stronger relationship with between family and law enforcement," said founder Jasmine Lee.

Cajairah is listed as a critically missing person.

By now, she would have delivered her son - a day her family had been looking forward to.

"We had so many plans together and she was so excited about having the baby," said Karah Fraise, Cajairah's mother.

The Beaumont Police Department told Eyewitness News the case remains active with detectives following all leads and their goal remains to bring Cajairah back to her family.

Anyone with information should contact the police department.